by
David Quine

for Grades 9 - 12

"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ." Paul, (Colossians 2:8)

"I cannot imagine sending any child of mine into this world (culture) without having completed your World Views curriculum first." K.S. of Texas

"One of the best programs I have seen that offers a clearly Christian classical education is David Quine's World Views of the Western World …"Michael Farris

"… those looking for a serious world view course that is the primary focus of the high school years need look no further!" Cathy Duffy

"to stand firm in her beliefs ... to stand alone ..."

"Thank you so very much for your ministry, and indeed it is a ministry! My daughter has undergone persecution in her 'religion' course at TCU this semester, but thankfully your curriculum (and a lot of prayer) has enabled her to stand firm in her beliefs. The professor told the students at the beginning of the course that his goal was to deprogram them of their Christian beliefs! My daughter has had to stand alone in a classroom with atheists, moral relativists, and Hindus as she defends her faith. I cannot imagine sending any child of mine into the world (culture) without having completed your WORLD VIEWS curriculum first."

God's Blessings! K. S. Homeschool Mom from Texas

Be Careful What You Bring Before Your Children's Eyes

Are we pursuing a Renaissance or a Reformation?

GRECO-ROMAN ___ RENAISSANCE
Have you ever wondered what the word "Renaissance" means? It means "rebirth." Rebirth of what? It was the rebirth of Greek and Roman thinking! Wow! Renaissance Christians were reaching back into the Greek and Roman period of history looking for answers from the classical ideas of Aristotle, other Greek philosophers and poets. These ideas were being merged and integrated into the teaching of Scripture. A good example, is The Divine Comedy by Dante.

THE MIDDLE AGES or DARK AGES?
What about the time period between the Greco-Roman Period and the Renaissance? This period was a time when the Bible was seen as the authority for life. They rejected the ideas of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. What would be a good name for this period? The Renaissance leaders called this period "The Dark Ages." To them it was dark because they rejected the Greco-Roman ideas. Because this period stands between two periods that embraced the Greek and Roman ideas, it should be referred to as the Middle Ages.

THE REFORMATION
The halmark of Renaissance education was Classical Education. Did it produce greatness? Yes, it did. But did it produce Christian thinking? No, it did not. It was the Reformation that produced Christian thinking and true greatness! You may be asking "what was the difference?" The Reformation leaders returned to the Scripture as the sole authority for life. They did not look to the Greek and Roman classics for truth. The postive influence of the Reformation can be seen in the music, art, science, government, economics, literature, and philosophy of this period of history.

HOME SCHOOL CURRICULUM
Recently I looked at a very popular home school history book for elementary grades subtitled "History for the Classical Child." I was interested in seeing what was being presented to home school children in this book. There were two things that caught my attention. The first chapter to the text is "The Earliest People." If you were writing a history book for your children, who would you include in this chapter? I imagine you are thinking of Adam, Eve, and Noah. However, in this book the first person named is "Tarak ... a seven-year-old girl who lives with her family in the days of the nomads." Are you as surprised as I was? The earliest people according to this text is "The First Nomads." No space is given to any of the people from Adam to Abraham! Amazing. The beginning of the world and the early history of the world as revealed by God in His Word is totally ignored. The people and history of the first eleven chapters of Genesis are never mentioned. The Creation, the Fall, and the Flood are never brought up as part of the story of the world. This space time history is totally ignored.

Excluding the story of humanity before Abraham in the history books we use with our children is extremely dangerous. Without the knowledge of this space-time history as revealed by God, we know nothing of who we are, where we are from, who God is, why the world is upside down, and our need for a Redeemer!

What about God? How does this text refer to Him? The first god mentioned is Ra, the god of the sun! And then Osiris, Isis, and Horus. These are the gods of Egypt. The text never indicates they are false gods, but rather treats them as if they are real and powerful. It is not until Chapter Six that the God of Abraham is introduced. But even here, He is not described as the only true God. This is "History for the Classical Child."

I am greatly disturbed by what I see taking place. What messages are being implanted into the hearts and minds of the children who study this type of book for history? I am surprised and deeply saddened that Classical Education has become so popular in the home schooling movement.

There is a huge difference between the Renaissance and the Reformation. Choose your curriculum wisely.

BIBLICAL WORLD VIEW EDUCATION
Let me reassure you that World Views of the Western World begins with the first eleven chapters of Genesis as true space-time history. It begins with the God of the Bible as the only true God and shows that the gods of the Greco-Roman world are false gods.

In World Views of the Western World the Renaissance is clearly seen as mixing pagan Greco-Roman ideas with the ideas of Christianity while the ideas of the Reformation are shown to stand solely on the authority of God and His Word.

God warns about being deceived when Paul writes: "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ (Colossians 2:8).

Be careful what you bring before your children's eyes. Historically, Classical Education produced the Renaissance -- However, our prayer is that God will use the home school movement to create another Reformation! Let us work and pray to that end!

POINT OF CLARIFICATION
Because I have received several emails regarding this teaching, let me make a point of clarification. The information regarding Classical Education producing the Renaissance is taken from How Should We Then Live? by Francis Schaeffer. According to Schaeffer, St Aquinas and other Renaissance believers did what Classical Educators are doing today -- they "opened the door" to non-Christian thought in such a way that it began to consume the authority of the Scripture. The result was not the Reformation. Historically, this decision would eventually lead to the Enligthenment -- a complete denial of Scripture. Just as Schaeffer does not question the Christian testimony of Aquinas, I don't question the Christian testimony of these authors. But I do take seriously the consequences of the decisions we make regarding what we teach our children.

AN INTEGRATED BIBLICAL WORLD VIEW APPROACH

The subjects are not taught as separate parts as in a traditional school; rather, they are shown to interconnect. Ideas shape what an author, painter, or musician compose. Ideas shape the thoughts and explorations of scientists. It is ideas that shape the policy of politicians and economists. World Views of the Western World is a study of ideas and their implications and consequences in society. World Views of the Western World is a historical study in which ideas are followed through time. Dr. Francis Schaeffer explains that "there is a flow to history and culture. This flow is rooted and has its wellspring in the thoughts of people. Most people catch their [world view] from their family and surounding society the way a child catches measles. But people with more understanding realize that their presuppositions should be chosen after a careful consideration of what world view is true."

World Views of the Western World is a biblical world view approach to history. This means that the biblical world view is the gauge against which all ideas are evaluated. World Views of the Western World directs your children to such an evaluation. This study is not optional in the Post-Modern world in which we live.

Properly equipping our children to stand firm in Christ in the 21st Century is our responsibility as parents. There is no better preparation than World Views of the Western World. This study is for those "living as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation" (Phillipians 2). Don't shrink back. Stand firm. Give your children all they need to live for Christ in the 21st Century. Give them World Views of the Western World.

EQUPPING your children to stand firm against the thoughts and ideas of the secular culture.

PREPARING your children to make a defense for the hope they have within them.

TEACHING your children to take the truth of Christianity into the various desciplines of life.

"We should be consciously

preparing the next generation

for the new battles it will face."

Dr. Francis Schaeffer

World Views of the Western World

a multi-sensory educational experience

a life changing study!

by David Quine

SEVEN AREAS OF INTEGRATED STUDY

PHILOSOPHY/THEOLOGY — The major views of God, the universe, human nature and morality are examined. Because ideas have consequences, philosophy and theology serve as the basis on which all other disciplines derive their thought and are therefore expressions of philosophy and theology.

LITERATURE — Selections from the great books of the western world to be studied include the Bible, works by Homer, Virgil, Augustine, Dante, Shakespeare, Milton, Dickens, Hemingway, Camus, and C. S. Lewis.

ART — A survey of the development of art from the Early Christian period to the modern.

MUSIC — A survey of the development of music from the Gregorian chant to classical music.

GOVERNMENT — An examination of the political, social, economic, religious, and cultural forces which have shaped American ideals and institutions. Contrasts are made between the French, American, and Russian Revolutions.

ECONOMICS — An evaluation of man's ideas about economic theory from Smith to Keynes as compared with the Biblical world view of economics.

SCIENCE — A critical assessment of science from Plato to Post-Darwin, tracing man's attempt to explain the order, structure, and origin of the universe. Man's ideas of origins will be contrasted with the Judeo-Christian view.